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<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/1point3m.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="/news">price Socceroo Jason Culina and his wife, Terri, spent to buy a colonial mansion</a> at Ingleburn in Sydney's western suburbs. It's one of NSW's most significant colonial palladian houses, Denham Court, and was built by Captain Richard Brooks, the enterprising sailor who settled at the Ingleburn holding in 1820.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/perth-and-brisbane-heading-into-property-market-upswing-louis-christopher/2012100857033"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/630.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/perth-and-brisbane-heading-into-property-market-upswing-louis-christopher/2012100857033">time on the "property clock" for Perth houses and units</a>, according to SQM Research director Louis Christopher. This indicates the market has just bottomed out and heading into an upswing.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/geoff-cousins-seeks-%2413-million-plus-whale-beach-buyers/2012100857046"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/13mplus.gif"></a>
The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/geoff-cousins-seeks-%2413-million-plus-whale-beach-buyers/2012100857046"> price hopes Geoff Cousins</a>, the adman-turned-environmental activist and author, has for his six bedroom beach house at Whale Beach. Named ‘The Wedge’, after the famous surf beach break at the northern corner of Whale Beach, the home occupies nearly 1,440 square metres.
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<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/340k.gif"></a>
The price, exclusive of GST, an investor has paid at auction for a two-level brick retail building on three titles on <a target="_blank" href="/news">Ryrie Street</a>, a Geelong café and speciality retail strip surrounded by medical and professional services premises. The investor, who hails from Rosebud on the Mornington Peninsula, will acquire some of the property via his self-managed super fund.
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<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/2point4m.gif"></a>
The price of the most expensive property sold this week. The<a target="_blank" href="/news"> four-bedroom McMahons Point house</a> sold significantly above its expectations, having been listed in mid-September with a price guide over $1.9 million.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/spring-brings-a-40-increase-in-property-on-the-market-in-prahran-hockingstuart/2012101057082"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/40percent.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/spring-brings-a-40-increase-in-property-on-the-market-in-prahran-hockingstuart/2012101057082">increase in stock on market in Prahran</a> from winter to spring, according to hockingstuart. "September was busy, but October will be hectic," says the agency's Andrew James.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/sydney-s-surry-hills-ranked-23rd-most-stylish-neighbourhood-in-the-world/2012101157094"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/23.gif"></a>
The ranking of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/sydney-s-surry-hills-ranked-23rd-most-stylish-neighbourhood-in-the-world/2012101157094">Surry Hills, Sydney, on Complex magazine's list </a>of the most stylish neighbourhoods in the world. “Crown Street, the heart of the neighbourhood, is where you'll find all of the restaurants, bars, and coffee shops,” author Julian Kimble writes.
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The 7 must-know numbers of the week, starting with Socceroo Jason Culina's Ingleburn purchase price

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3/2 Wallaringa Avenue, Neutral Bay, NSW, 2089 <img src="/images/stories/2012/10/wallaringa.jpg" width="470">
In a pet-friendly block of six, this light and airy one-bedroom apartment has 42 square metres of internal space. It includes off-street parking and attic storage space. The unit is currently tenanted at $455 a week until March 2013. The property is within walking distance of ferries, bus services and Neutral Bay shops. 
Ray White agents James Kuziow and Mary Curran<a href="https://www.raywhite.com/nsw/neutral-bay/851180/" target="_blank"> are marketing the property</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.buxton.com.au/"> </a>with price hopes of $450,000 plus, and if it sells for that price, that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 5.3% at its current rent,  above the gross rental yield for Neutral Bay units of 4.5%, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
<a href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT" target="_blank">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $4,000 and over five years to be $8,000.
The median unit price in Neutral Bay rose 2.9% in the past year and 24.7% in the past five years, according to RP Data.
For more information about prices and yields in <a href="/news">Neutral Bay, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
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Friday form guide: Yields of up to 5.3% in Neutral Bay

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For the everyday consumer, spring begins in September. For the property market, it also technically starts in September, but as a real estate agent our activity actually ramps up much earlier. We’re preparing for the season as early as June, and come July we know whether spring will be busy by the number of upcoming listings in our books.
So it came as no surprise to see a 40% increase in our stock this season from winter – September was busy, but October will be hectic. Our clearance rate is at 81%, and properties are selling quickly, with average days on market sitting at just 24 days.
Prahran has weathered the storm quite well compared with other Melbourne suburbs, a good reminder that the property market is actually made up of multiple “sub-markets”. While sales activity has certainly picked up for us since winter, in general our levels all year round have remained consistent, with auctions remaining popular and clearance rates hovering around 80%. In fact, according to RP Data’s top 100 growth suburbs nationwide, Prahran topped the list in Melbourne.
Why? Our popularity comes down to one factor – affordability. It’s one of the few inner-city suburbs where you can still pick up a period home located close to shops, restaurants and public transport for under $1 million. Add multiple interest rate cuts to the table and there’s never been a better time for young couples to buy into a lifestyle location and still set themselves up for a family. We’re expecting a lot of interest at this weekend’s auctions for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hockingstuart.com.au/?autoSearch=1&amp;OID=4456523&amp;Con=S">1 Chatsworth Road</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hockingstuart.com.au/?autoSearch=1&amp;OID=4424173&amp;Con=S">82 Bendigo Street</a>, with Chatsworth priced within a $700,000 to $750,000 range and $760,000 to $830,000 for Bendigo. The properties at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.domain.com.au/Property/For-Sale/House/VIC/Prahran/?adid=2010038374">82 Hornby Street</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-vic-prahran-111773603">9B Percy Street</a> will also fare well because of their proximity to the Chapel Street precinct.
 
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Having said that, over the past month we’ve also noticed an influx of buyers return to the sub-$1 million market, and demand is back for Edwardian and Victorian-style homes. Again, these buyers – particularly those with double-income and no kids – are driven by affordability and see the opportunity to jump into a stable market before prices start increasing again.
From a seller’s point of view, an interesting trend we’ve picked up is a growing investment in online advertising. Ten years ago, advertising was dominated by brochures, property boards and print. Today, while traditional methods are still present and will continue to play a crucial part in selling houses, the focus is shifting to online. This is reflective of the new generation of buyers who are online savvy, with the majority using the internet as one of their main tools to look for property – sellers are following suit. However, no two properties are the same, and in the same way that prices vary depending on the property, the same rule applies to advertising. There will be properties that sell better online, some better in print, but often the most effective advertising campaigns use multiple touch points.
Looking ahead, we expect the market in Prahran to remain strong. Further interest rate cuts will help drive confidence, but growth in house prices will be gradual – we’re not going to see the price hikes we saw in the years leading up to 2010. However don’t forget the Melbourne real estate market is made up of multiple sub-markets, so it will be a different case for each suburb – where one area might be seeing rapid growth, another might be depreciating in value. Prahran will fare well because of its affordability, prime location and amenities, but it won’t necessarily be the same for the next suburb. Statewide, the market is still finding its feet so there’s great value for buyers ready to take the plunge now – as long as you do your due diligence on the area.
Andrew James has more than a 20 years’ experience in real estate and is director of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hockingstuart.com.au/">hockingstuart </a>Armadale.
What do you think spring holds for the property market? <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/the-spring-property-outlook-survey" target="_blank">Complete our five-minute survey for your chance to win an iPhone 5.</a>
For more on auctions and the spring selling season, <a href="http://propertyobserver.com.au/ebooks/free-ebook-auction-or-private-treaty-plus-9-spring-2012-selling-tips" target="_blank">download our free eBook.</a>
 
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Spring brings a 40% increase in property on the market in Prahran: Hockingstuart

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A four-bedroom McMahons Point house is this week's top sale, according to RP Data, although it sold for just $2.4 million.
It sold significantly above its expectations, having been listed in mid-September with a price guide over $1.9 million. 
Selling agent Annika Robins of McGrath says there were 12 bidders at the auction, pushing the price well over its $2 million reserve. It was a deceased estate sale and was the first time the house had ever been on the market.
The property has expansive views over Berry Bay to Balls Head.
Eight of the top 10 sales of the week are in NSW, with two in Victoria.
1. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/5-commodore-crescent-mcmahons-point-nsw-2060/myrp-490?propertyId=4167447" target="_blank">5 Commodore Crescent, McMahons Point, NSW, 2060</a>, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 6 by McGrath Estate Agents for $2.4 million
2. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/87-culver-street-monterey-nsw-2217/myrp-490?propertyId=4399319" target="_blank">87 Culver Street, Monterey, NSW, 2217</a>, five-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 6 by Raine &amp; Horne Sans Souci for $1.81 million
3. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/24-thoresby-grove-ivanhoe-vic-3079/myrp-490?propertyId=11299599" target="_blank">24 Thoresby Grove, Ivanhoe, VIC, 3079</a>, four-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 6 by Miles Real Estate for $1.605 million
4. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/80-sunnybrook-drive-wheelers-hill-vic-3150/myrp-490?propertyId=13808159" target="_blank">80 Sunnybrook Drive, Wheelers Hill, VIC, 3150</a>, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 6 by Ray White Real Estate Glen Waverley for $1.54 million
5. 6 Roma Street, North Epping, NSW, 2121, four-bedroom house, sold prior to auction on October 6 by McGrath Estate Agents for $1.5 million
6. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/20-fewings-street-clovelly-nsw-2031/myrp-490?propertyId=1863329" target="_blank">20 Fewings Street, Clovelly, NSW, 2031</a>, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 2 by Ke3 Property for $1.455 million
7. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/62-lancaster-road-dover-heights-nsw-2030/myrp-490?propertyId=2120867" target="_blank">62 Lancaster Road, Dover Heights, NSW, 2030</a>, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 6 by Laing + Simmons Double Bay for $1.425 million
8. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/179-wilson-street-newtown-nsw-2042/myrp-490?propertyId=4897135" target="_blank">179 Wilson Street, Newtown, NSW, 2042</a>, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 6 by Ray White Surry Hills / Alexandria for $1.36 million
9. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/64-redmond-street-leichhardt-nsw-2040/myrp-490?propertyId=3676180" target="_blank">64 Redmond Street, Leichhardt, NSW, 2040</a>, three-bedroom house, sold at auction on October 6 by McGrath Estate Agents for $1.262 million
10. <a href="https://www.myrp.com.au/n/38-yeend-street-merrylands-nsw-2160/myrp-490?propertyId=4260191" target="_blank">38 Yeend Street, Merrylands, NSW, 2160</a>, six-bedroom house, sold prior to auction on October 6 by McGrath Estate Agents for $1.25 million 
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No super-prestige results as $2.4 million McMahons Point house takes out top sale of the week: RP Data

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19/44 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, VIC, 3182
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/kingsclere.jpg" width="470">
On the second floor of a Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, block, this one-bedroom apartment is currently vacant but could be expected to secure a rental of $360 to $370 per week, according to listing agent Carl Hexter of Biggin Scott. It sold at its weekend auction to an investor for $445,000. There were three registered bidders. The apartment includes a separate study and an ornamental fireplace and is within metres of Fitzroy Street trams, cafes, restaurants and bars.
Hexter gave pre-auction price hopes of $380,000 plus and says the reserve was $410,000. If it is rented at $370, that would secure a gross rental yield at the median gross rental yield for St Kilda units of 4.3%, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees. The property was last rented for about $320 per week, which would provide a gross rental yield of about 3.7%.
<a href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT" target="_blank">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $4,000 and over five years to be $8,000.
The median unit price in St Kilda fell 0.6% in the past year but rose 37.9% in the past five years, according to RP Data.
For more information about prices and yields in <a target="_blank" href="/news">St Kilda, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
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Investor form guide wrap: Yields of up to 4.3% in St Kilda

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House and unit prices have been on the rise for the past six months while property prices fell in regional Victoria, according to graphs released by the Real Estate Institute of Victoria. 
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/10/reivoct9.gif"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/reivoct9thumb.gif"></a>
Click to enlarge
<a title="Click to enlarge" rel="shadowbox" href="/images/stories/2012/10/reivoct91.gif"><img src="/images/stories/2012/10/reivoct91thumb.gif"></a>
The charts, part of a REIV presentation at the Melbourne Home Buyer and Property Investor Show, also show that over the past 10 years the median Melbourne house and unit prices have risen in fits and starts, while regional Victoria has shown more steady, even growth. 
For example, house and unit prices in Melbourne show a sharp spike in 2007, whereas growth is more measured across regional Victoria. 
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Regional Victorian property prices have shown long-term mild growth: REIV

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Melbourne landlords who find they are not receiving multiple enquiries every week about their vacant rental properties need to lower their rental expectations, according to Leah Calnan, director of Metro Property Management.
Speaking at yesterday’s Melbourne Home Buyer &amp; Property Investor Show, Calnan described the Melbourne rental market as “a little bit tough” for landlords for the past year.
“If your enquiries are minimal, it’s a price point issue,” Calnan said.
She said Melbourne landlords should not always expect to receive the same rent or more for a property as tenants changed.
“You have to change with the market,” she said.
“It’s much better for you to receive 90% of that $500 a week, for example, than no money at all.”
She also pointed out that prospective tenants searched in price “blocks” – for example, $450-$495, and so landlords could appeal to a broader range of renters by ensuring the rent fell within that block. She said a difference of $5 a week, from $500 to $495, could entice prospective tenants who otherwise would not see the property in internet searches.
In addition to reducing their rental expectations, Calnan suggested landlords offer prospective tenants sweeteners and incentives to make their properties stand out. She suggested a free barbecue, free 12-month Foxtel contract, a Coles/Myer voucher or paying for the cost of removalists in order to entice tenants.
“For you it’s a tax deduction, but it’ll make the property more attractive to tenants,” Calnan said.
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Melbourne landlords might need to lower rent to fill vacant properties: Leah Calnan

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More than two and a half years after marketing began, sales have picked up steam for luxury Gold Coast development Salacia Waters.
Marketing began for the 131-unit, 13-villa project in January 2010, and thus far there have been 33 sales, about two-thirds of those since July this year.
Julian Sutherland of Ray White says buyers on the Gold Coast are coming out of a "post-GFC hibernation".
“Investors and owner-occupiers alike are attracted by the opportunity to pounce on the value presently on offer at Salacia Waters, where apartments are available from $400,000,” he says.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/salacia1.jpg">
Sutherland says the $15,000 Queensland first-home owner construction grant, which replaced the $7,000 first-home owner grant in early September following the announcement of the Queensland budget, has helped spark sales at Salacia Waters.
“This value proposition in such a quality waterfront development combined with a lower interest rate environment and the reinstatement of a stamp duty exemption have galvanised buyers to act,” he says.
Other property commentators have also suggested a recent turnaround in the Gold Coast, with SQM Research director saying the market in the area is “showing signs of bottoming out”.
In February this year Christopher said he agreed with comments made by Sunrise presenter David Koch that the Gold Coast property market was "catastrophic".
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/salacia2.jpg">
Also last week, Midwood Report author Bill Morris pointed out that the amount of high-rise apartment stock on the Gold Coast had halved in the past two years.
“There should no longer be the perception that Gold Coast high-rise apartments are oversupplied,” Morris said.
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Salacia Waters units range in size from 97 square metres to 369 square metres and are priced from $399,000, with luxury villas priced from $740,000.
Sutherland says they should appeal to investors as well as owner-occupiers in the area.
“With the city facing a dwindling supply of apartments, particularly in waterfront locations, investors are well positioned for strong income flows," Sutherland says.
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/salacia3.jpg">
The first stage of the development was finished in October 2010, but planned future stages were put on hold due to poor sales and the struggling Gold Coast market.
Sutherland says developer Lotte Engineering and Construction is hoping the recent upsurge in buyer activity would enable the developer to continue with further stages.
Salacia Waters is in Paradise Point and surrounded on three sides by water. The development includes a 72-berth marina with deepwater access for keen yachties.
Lifestyle amenities in the building include a gymnasium and several swimming pools.
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After slow marketing start, sales picking up at Salacia Waters as Gold Coast market shows signs of life

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11/15 Eddys Grove, Bentleigh, Victoria 3204
<img src="/images/stories/2012/09/eddys.jpg" width="470">
This two-bedroom, low-maintenance unit is currently tenanted on a month-to-month lease at $295 per week. Buxton agent Heather Steadman says the identical adjacent unit rents for $350 per week, but without some renovation work unit 11 is unlikely to command much more than $295. It is within walking distance of Centre Road shops, cafes and the train station, which is in zone 1. 
Steadman<a target="_blank" href="https://www.buxton.com.au/"> is marketing the property </a>with price hopes of $380,000 plus, and if it sells for that price, that would secure an investor a gross rental yield of 4% at its current rent,  above the gross rental yield for Bentleigh units of 3.5%, according to RP Data. The gross rental yield does not consider the costs of maintaining the property, including council rates and other fees such as water bills and managing agent fees.
<a target="_blank" href="https://calc.washingtonbrown.com.au/wbdcalculator/calculator.aspx?RID=HPCAZOPTTT">Washington Brown</a> estimates the first-year tax depreciation deduction to be $6,000 and over five years to be $13,000.
The median unit price in Bentleigh fell 8.6% in the past year but rose 39.5% in the past five years, according to RP Data.
The property will be open for inspection Saturday, October 13 at 10.45am and will go to auction Saturday, October 20 at 12.30pm.
For more information about prices and yields in <a href="/news">Bentleigh, see the RP Data suburb page.</a>
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Friday form guide: Yields of up to 4% in Bentleigh

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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/cheapest-of-rp-datas-100-growth-suburbs-grenfell-rising-property-values-would-have-inspired-native-son-henry-lawson/2012100156909"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/150k.gif"></a>
The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/new-south-wales/cheapest-of-rp-datas-100-growth-suburbs-grenfell-rising-property-values-would-have-inspired-native-son-henry-lawson/2012100156909"> approximate median house price in the NSW regional town of Grenfell</a>, the cheapest entry on RP Data's list of the top 100 growth suburbs. Prices have increased 20% in the past year in the town, which is the place of bush poet Henry Lawson's birth.
 
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/cubbie-station-sale-to-chinese-supported-by-just-13/2012093056888"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/13percent.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/news/cubbie-station-sale-to-chinese-supported-by-just-13/2012093056888">percentage of Australians polled by UMR who supported the sale of Cubbie Station to Chinese investors</a>. Some 63% of Australians are opposed to the sale of the southern Queensland property to overseas interests, with 24% unsure.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/woodend-s-mintaro-%E2%80%93-a-mini-government-house-%E2%80%93-listed-with-%243-million-hopes/2012093056889"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/3m.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/victoria/woodend-s-mintaro-%E2%80%93-a-mini-government-house-%E2%80%93-listed-with-%243-million-hopes/2012093056889">price hopes for Mintaro</a>, the 1882 Monegeetta, Sunbury district mansion. It's a smaller replica of Melbourne's Government House, which was built by a Captain Robert Gardiner to a design by architect James Gall. The 9.9-hectare estate is an executor's sale, which will conclude 78 years of family ownership by the Rae family.
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<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/53percent.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="/news">percentage of Australian households who have no income left at the end of the month</a> once they have paid their mortgage and other bills, according to ME Bank. The report found that 43% of households break even and 10% spend more than they earn by drawing on savings, loans, credit or equity in their homes.
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<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/3point25percent.gif"></a>
The<a target="_blank" href="/news"> current cash rate, after the RBA cut rates on Tuesday</a> by 25 basis points. This is the lowest the cash rate has been since October 2009.
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<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/surprise-14-rise-in-capital-city-dwelling-values-highest-in-30-months-but-moderate-growth-ahead-rp-data-rismark/2012100256920"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/1point4percent.gif"></a>
The<a target="_blank" href="https://www.propertyobserver.com.au/residential/surprise-14-rise-in-capital-city-dwelling-values-highest-in-30-months-but-moderate-growth-ahead-rp-data-rismark/2012100256920"> increase in house prices in September across Australia</a>, according to RP Data. The result was the largest month-on-month rise recorded since March 2010 and means that capital city dwelling values are now 0.8% higher over the first nine months of 2012, with a median dwelling price of $450,500.
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<a target="_blank" href="/news"><img src="/images/stories/2012/09/4point5mplus.gif"></a>
The <a target="_blank" href="/news">price hopes for the Princeton, Double Bay penthouse</a> of the late interior design doyen Leslie Walford. The interiors showcase the tastes of Walford, who retired just five years ago after an international career spanning five decades.
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The 7 must-know numbers of the week, starting with the median house price in Henry Lawson's home town

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developments/broadbeach-qld-4218">Broadbeach</a> offers plenty of reasons to live vertically, but moving from a substantial family home into an apartment can expose the compromises of high-density living. Privacy, room for guests and usable living space tend to matter more when an apartment is intended as a permanent home rather than an occasional coastal base.

A typical residential floor at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/the-eveleigh-broadbeach-7-9-surf-parade-broadbeach-qld-4218">The Eveleigh</a>, on Surf Parade,&nbsp;contains just four apartments. The 94-residence development by <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/hirsch-faigen">Hirsch &amp; Faigen</a> is predominantly made up of expansive three-bedroom homes, with a limited collection of half-floor penthouses above.

Across the apartment floors, <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/architects/rothelowman">Rothelowman</a> has used the relatively limited number of residences to give each home greater access to natural light and outlook. Living spaces extend towards full-height glazing, while a series of bay windows frame selected views across the Pacific Ocean, city and hinterland rather than treating the building edge as a continuous wall of glass.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360965]

“The apartment floors deliver a collection of homes that embrace controlled outlook via a series of bay windows deliberately framing moments of view,” Rothelowman Director Kim Lowman said.

From outside, those projecting forms contribute to the tower’s faceted profile. Strong horizontal and vertical elements establish its proportions, while the changing position of the sun alters the light, shadow and reflection across the façade throughout the day.

The same attention moves inside the apartments, where the material palette combines warm timber, natural stone, metallic detailing and softer curved forms. Kitchens sit within the main living zone, with stone island benches, integrated joinery and European appliances, before the living areas extend towards the glazing and the outlook.

&nbsp;

[smartcode_project:default project_id=149670 project_image_fid=360981]

Three genuine bedrooms provide room to accommodate family and guests, while two secure car spaces and storage address some of the practical considerations that can become more noticeable when moving from a larger home. Feedback from the display suite has centred on the warmth and restraint of the interiors, with buyers commenting that the residences feel like homes rather than conventional coastal apartments.

A limited collection of half-floor penthouses occupies the upper levels, increasing the scale of the living spaces and adding private balconies and elevated finishes. From this position, the outlook extends between the ocean and hinterland.

Outside the private residences, The Eveleigh separates its shared spaces between the podium and rooftop. The podium is centred on wellness, with subtropical landscaping surrounding a swimming pool and pool terrace, yoga garden, private gymnasium, sauna and hot and cold plunge facilities. Landscaped retreats and pavilions provide additional places to sit away from the main recreation areas.

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Higher in the building, a rooftop pavilion and private dining suite sit alongside resident lounge, barbecue and outdoor dining areas, opening towards panoramic views across the ocean, city and hinterland.

“Buyers are no longer just looking for an apartment, but a lifestyle where they can relax, reset, and enjoy a balanced way of living,” Hirsch &amp; Faigen Director of Sales Matt George said.

Interest to date has come from established owner-occupiers and interstate lifestyle purchasers, including buyers planning a future move to the Gold Coast. Many are coming from larger homes and want to reduce ongoing maintenance without giving up space for family and guests, privacy, two car spaces or the ability to entertain at home.

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Much of that daily life can also take place beyond the building without requiring a drive. Kurrawa Beach and Pratten Park are an easy walk from Surf Parade, while Pacific Fair, Oracle Boulevard, The Oasis, restaurants, cafés, entertainment and public transport are also within walking distance.

The Eveleigh is Hirsch &amp; Faigen's fourth Gold Coast development since entering the market in 2021, following The Hemingway at Palm Beach, The Emerson at Kirra and Yves at Mermaid Beach. Each of the preceding projects sold out before completion.

“Broadbeach had been on our radar throughout our time operating on the Gold Coast,” the developer said. “Following our projects in Palm Beach, Kirra and Mermaid Beach, Broadbeach represented the natural next step for the business.”

The Surf Parade site brought together proximity to the beach, protected coastal outlooks and walkability to dining, shopping and recreation. Hirsch &amp; Faigen also identified the street as an emerging premium residential address, with enough separation from Broadbeach's busier destinations to retain a quieter environment at home.

The Eveleigh is now under construction by Maxcon, with completion forecast for mid-2028. Three-bedroom residences are currently available from $2.87 million.

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Joel Robinson

The Eveleigh brings house-like apartments to Broadbeach

A long-stalled Campbelltown development site is back in play, with new plans for 139 apartments set to supersede a mixed-use scheme approved almost a decade ago but never built.

The new proposal for 28 Cordeaux Street would deliver 116 market and 23 affordable apartments in a part 14-storey building, bringing a substantial new project into a Campbelltown market where new apartment supply remains limited.

Plans have been filed over the 3,092 sqm corner site at Moore-Oxley Street, around 600 metres from Campbelltown Railway Station and the city-centre retail core.

The site already carries a mixed-use residential approval dating to 2016. Doroch Architects has now been engaged on a larger replacement scheme, which is progressing as a State Significant Development Application following a Housing Delivery Authority determination in August 2025.

The apartment mix comprises 39 one-bedroom, 72 two-bedroom and 28 three-bedroom residences. Two-bedroom apartments make up just over half of the project, while three-bedroom homes account for 20 per cent.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="136dd5b9-3791-4da6-9e31-76f533f5b4de" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da2.png?VersionId=LgOSy9nwf5u.MGswBBwaGGxuX8QpHSl_" />

Of the 139 apartments, 23 will be delivered as affordable housing under the in-fill affordable housing provisions of the Housing SEPP. The affordable component represents 15 per cent of the residential gross floor area and will be managed by a registered Community Housing Provider.

Doroch has sought to break the scale of the building into two distinct elements, with a masonry podium of around four storeys establishing the street edge before the residential tower steps back above.

The corner position has shaped that approach. Cordeaux Street faces toward the commercial and civic centre, while Moore-Oxley Street leads into the lower-scale residential neighbourhood to the south, and the design verification report describes the site as "bridging the commercial core to the north and established residential areas to the south."

The podium will be expressed predominantly in face brick, while the upper levels shift to brushed and grooved concrete cladding with darker metal detailing. Recessed sections, deep balcony edges and landscaping break down the upper form, with an approximately 11.8-metre setback to the northern boundary addressing the adjoining St Peters Anglican School.

<img alt="First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c8b3d2d3-c561-4bfc-a5d9-a68c0c10dac1" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Campbelltown%20da1.png?VersionId=AeAEyJU02Gk2k5noUj2StziCvdQ7fW4B" />

Campbelltown has been starved of new residential developments in the last decade.

The only other notable development set to come to market this year is ALAND's Queen Square, a mixed-use precinct on over two hectares that will comprise apartments above a vibrant ground-level retail and hospitality dining precinct.

First look: New 139-apartment plans revive long-stalled Campbelltown city centre site

First Look: Sherlock Construction pitches apartments for low-rise Deception Bay

Queensland builder-developer MAYD has revealed the first look at its major North Kirra beachfront development, lodging amended plans that reduce the number of apartments and increase the proportion of larger residences.

The project is planned across a substantial 4,742 sqm amalgamated site spanning seven lots at <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/2-6-pacific-parade-bilinga-qld-4225">2-6 Pacific Parade</a> and 27-33 Golden Four Drive in Bilin​ga, directly opposite Nor​th Kirra Beach.

<a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/developers/mayd-group">MAYD</a> secured the site for $32.5 million in 2025, in what was one of the Gold Coast's largest property transactions of the year.

The development will be delivered across two stages, with the first stage carrying an estimated gross realisation value of around $360 million.

The latest amendments seek to reduce the overall apartment count and shift the project further toward the owner-occupier market, with larger residences designed for buyers wanting considerably more space than traditionally offered in a beachfront apartment.

The residential mix will include townhomes, oversized two-bedroom apartments, substantial three-bedroom residences and four-bedroom homes.

MAYD has appointed Cera Stribley to lead the architecture and interiors, with the Melbourne-based design practice drawing on the beachfront setting through a series of ocean-facing terraces and heavily landscaped balconies.

Strong horizontal forms and curved balconies will define the exterior, with subtropical landscaping integrated throughout the building to soften the built form and increase the connection between the residences and the beachfront.

The project will also include an extensive collection of resident wellness and lifestyle facilities, continuing the broader shift across the Gold Coast's luxury apartment market toward larger homes supported by resort-style amenity.

<img alt="MAYD" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d1bcbb05-e659-4b47-8bd4-1e595315e2ad" src="https://s3.ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/www.urban.com.au/s3fs-public/inline-images/Screenshot%202026-08-27%20at%202.05.03%E2%80%AFPM.png?VersionId=jj0XEud1X1DuLt7_KyElhjMdZGOXmLHP" />

MAYD Founder Todd Mould said North Kirra was increasingly appealing to buyers attracted to the more established, lower-density character of the southern Gold Coast.

"North Kirra presents one of the most compelling luxury residential opportunities currently emerging in Australia, combining absolute beachfront with the character and authenticity that buyers are increasingly seeking, and the same sense of tight-knit community that defined Burleigh and Currumbin perhaps 10 or 15 years ago," Mould said.

"With Gold Coast Airport on its doorstep, it also offers a level of accessibility that broadens its appeal across almost every market demographic."

The project comes as the southern Gold Coast continues to attract an increasing share of high-end apartment development and buyer activity.

Kirra in particular has emerged as one of the region's more tightly held beachfront markets, with its relatively low-density character, established surf and hospitality scene and proximity to Gold Coast Airport differentiating it from the higher-density markets further north.

Mould said those characteristics had informed the approach MAYD and Cera Stribley had taken to the project.

"We've worked closely with Cera Stribley to create a vision that is deeply connected to its surroundings," he said.

"Inspired by the coastline itself, the architecture has been shaped around space, privacy and resort-style living, creating a collection of homes that reflects the next generation of luxury on the southern Gold Coast."

MOTIV Managing Director Carly Cottam, who has been appointed to market the project, said buyer attention had continued to move south along the Gold Coast.

"Purchasers who may once have defaulted to Broadbeach, Main Beach or Surfers Paradise are increasingly recognising the value of a genuine beachfront location that offers lower density, strong amenity and a more established sense of community," Cottam said.

"Kirra has a powerful combination of growing demand and genuine scarcity. Beachfront supply is inherently constrained, the area remains relatively low density, and buyers are increasingly placing a premium on locations that feel established, uncrowded and authentic rather than heavily developed."

Cottam said the proximity to Gold Coast Airport was also proving increasingly important for interstate and second-home buyers.

"Being minutes from Gold Coast Airport makes it particularly compelling for interstate buyers, frequent travellers and second-home purchasers who can access an authentic coastal lifestyle almost immediately after stepping off a flight."

The acquisition takes MAYD's active development portfolio to more than $500 million, with the North Kirra project representing one of its largest undertakings to date.

MAYD is targeting an early 2027 launch.

First look at MAYD's North Kirra mixed-use precinct

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Castle Hill, the longtime hub of the Hills District, has been one of the major beneficiaries of Sydney's Metro expansion, with improved connectivity helping drive continued population growth, development and buyer demand across the Hills District.

But despite that growth, the suburb has seen relatively few major new apartment projects brought to market over the past 18 months.

Hills District developer Reve Group is looking to fill that gap with <a href="https://www.apartments.com.au/new-apartments/nova-r-ve-castle-hill-2-garthowen-crescent-castle-hill-nsw-2154">Nova Rêve</a>, a major new mixed-use precinct on the corner of Garthowen Crescent and Old Castle Hill Road, a short walk from Castle Hill Metro Station and Castle Towers.

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The project will comprise three residential towers alongside a hotel, restaurants, cafes and a skybar, more than 1,600 sqm of ground-floor retail and almost an acre of landscaped gardens.

It represents the largest project undertaken by Reve Group, the development arm of the Kassis family, which has been building across the Hills District for more than 30 years through Kassis Homes.

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Nova Rêve also represents a significant step up from the family's first apartment development, Grand Rêve, which was delivered nearby on Garthowen Crescent.

Grand Rêve introduced larger, house-like apartment layouts and premium inclusions including Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to the Castle Hill market.

Nova Rêve takes that approach to a precinct scale, combining the residential component with hospitality, retail and substantial public and resident landscaping.

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Reve Group Managing Director Sam Kassis said the project reflected the family's three decades of building in the Hills, which has evolved from trophy homes on quarter-acre blocks to larger-scale apartment development.

"Grand Rêve was our first apartment project here and it showed us what this pocket of Castle Hill could be. Nova Rêve is the refinement of that idea: not just apartments, but a place the whole suburb can use," Kassis said.

A key part of that approach is the hotel, which has been designed to operate as an amenity for the wider Castle Hill community rather than solely hotel guests.

It will include restaurants, cafes, skybars and all-day dining, alongside conference and event facilities catering to business functions, community groups and private events.

At ground level, more than 1,600 sqm of shops and cafes will open onto the surrounding streets and landscaped areas.

Almost an acre of gardens designed by Land and Form Studios will run through the precinct, incorporating pathways, seating, barbecue areas and children's play spaces.

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Reve Group's Romio Georges said creating an active ground plane had been central to the planning of Nova Rêve.

"There are gardens with pathways, barbecues, seating and play areas, shops and cafes opening onto the street, and a hotel with restaurants and a skybar that anyone in Castle Hill can walk into," Georges said.

The project's elevated position on one of Sydney's highest ridgelines will also provide apartments with outlooks toward the Sydney skyline, surrounding parkland and the Blue Mountains.

More than 80 per cent of the apartments will occupy corner positions, with Turner responsible for both the architecture and interiors.

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Cassidy Knowlton

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